INTERNATIONAL ISSUES

World agricultural markets in 1998 were dominated by two events, the economic turbulence in Asia and the El Niño weather phenomenon. Asian problems lowered the value of world agricultural trade and raised concerns about the health of the global economy. The El Niño event, during which the waters in the Pacific Ocean off South America warm and alter global weather patterns, caused drought in some regions and floods in others but did not reduce total global food supplies compared with 1997. The combined effects of these forces, however, resulted in a difficult year for farmers in many parts of the world.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), world agricultural production rose 0.2% in 1998. (See Table I.) Even with the small increase, agricultural production reached a record level. For 1998 the growth in food production in the less-developed countries kept pace with the rise in population so that per capita food production was slightly higher. Developed countries experienced a decline in per capita production, which either reduced their surplus for export or increased their import needs.

Total agricultural production

Total food production

Per capita food production

Region and country

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

Developed countries

96.6

94.6

97.6

98.9

96.7

96.9

95.0

98.3

99.6

97.6

94.8

92.6

95.4

96.3

94.0

Canada

108.7

111.2

115.4

114.2

116.1

108.4

110.7

115.3

114.1

115.6

103.5

104.7

108.0

105.9

106.4

European Union

97.7

97.5

101.7

103.7

101.4

97.6

97.4

101.8

103.7

101.3

96.2

95.7

99.7

101.4

98.9

Japan

99.4

97.3

95.4

95.3

94.5

99.9

97.8

96.0

95.8

95.0

98.9

96.6

94.6

94.2

93.2

Russia

73.1

65.4

68.2

67.6

56.5

73.4

65.8

68.7

68.2

56.9

73.2

65.7

68.8

68.5

57.2

South Africa

99.0

85.3

101.8

99.1

100.9

101.2

87.0

104.1

101.3

103.1

92.5

77.7

91.0

86.6

86.3

United States

116.4

109.5

114.7

118.5

117.1

116.1

109.4

114.5

118.4

118.3

111.5

104.1

108.0

110.8

109.8

Less-developed countries

115.6

121.2

127.5

129.9

131.5

117.1

122.5

129.0

131.4

133.5

109.0

112.2

116.1

116.3

116.2

Argentina

109.3

116.2

119.1

116.8

127.6

111.6

118.1

120.8

118.9

129.2

105.8

110.5

111.6

108.4

116.3

Bangladesh

100.5

103.4

110.0

111.1

111.9

99.9

103.7

110.2

111.2

111.7

94.1

96.2

100.7

100.0

98.8

Brazil

110.7

114.3

118.8

123.7

125.2

112.2

117.2

121.5

126.8

127.5

105.8

109.0

111.6

115.0

114.2

China

108.7

111.2

115.4

114.2

116.1

130.4

139.2

150.3

157.1

160.2

124.7

131.8

141.0

145.9

147.4

Congo, Dem. Rep. of the

105.7

107.5

99.2

96.5

94.6

106.3

108.3

100.4

98.1

95.9

90.7

89.2

80.3

76.5

73.0

Egypt

112.8

122.7

134.8

138.9

141.9

114.4

125.1

136.1

140.4

143.6

105.7

113.4

121.1

122.7

123.2

Ethiopia

107.2

118.0

126.5

115.7

119.5

107.7

118.5

127.7

116.1

120.9

94.9

101.2

105.6

93.0

93.7

India

112.3

116.6

119.8

121.7

121.2

111.9

115.6

118.8

121.2

120.4

104.2

105.9

107.0

107.4

105.0

Indonesia

112.3

119.6

121.8

119.7

118.7

112.6

120.1

122.0

119.8

118.9

105.8

111.2

111.3

107.7

105.2

Malaysia

113.2

114.7

117.8

120.0

118.4

119.7

121.4

125.3

128.0

126.1

108.8

107.9

109.0

109.0

105.2

Mexico

112.4

121.2

116.6

117.3

122.1

114.0

122.6

116.9

118.1

122.9

106.0

112.0

105.0

104.3

106.8

Nigeria

128.9

131.4

139.9

135.2

136.1

129.3

131.7

140.4

136.0

137.4

114.8

113.5

117.6

110.7

108.7

Philippines

113.9

117.0

120.9

124.0

121.8

114.9

119.3

122.8

126.0

123.7

105.3

106.9

107.8

108.3

104.2

Turkey

102.9

104.3

110.4

107.5

110.7

104.0

103.9

110.8

107.1

111.3

97.4

95.8

100.6

95.7

98.0

Venezuela

105.1

105.1

111.0

121.3

121.6

105.9

106.3

112.1

123.3

123.5

96.5

94.9

98.0

105.6

103.6

Vietnam

123.0

130.6

137.6

143.8

144.9

121.8

129.0

134.8

139.6

141.1

112.2

116.6

119.5

121.6

120.8

World

107.0

109.1

113.9

115.9

115.7

107.7

109.8

114.8

116.7

116.7

101.5

102.0

105.2

105.4

104.2

Although at a global level food production rose, there were many differences by region, which reflected economic and weather problems. Among the developed countries, output in the United States and Canada increased 0.1% and 1.5%, respectively, while the European Union (EU) recorded another strong performance. Agricultural production in Russia had fallen during most of the 1990s, and there were production problems again in 1998. Reduced output was linked to the ongoing problems of the transition from central planning to a market economy. The agricultural sector experienced problems with obtaining adequate supplies of inputs, such as fertilizers and chemicals, as well as with tardy payments for products delivered and delayed wages. South Africa suffered greatly from El Niño, with 1997-98 corn production sharply lower. Although Australia suffered a reduced wheat crop due to El Niño, rain arrived at a critical time in the fall of 1997 and prevented a large crop loss.

For the less-developed countries location was critical to agricultural performance in 1998. Argentina and Brazil produced above-normal soybean crops owing to timely rains associated with El Niño. Other less-developed countries were not so fortunate. Indonesian agricultural production suffered from an El Niño-induced drought and the region’s economic collapse. China also experienced some dryness induced by El Niño, which adversely affected its 1997-98 coarse grain crops. By contrast, Mexico received excessive rains, which reduced its coarse grain output. Thailand and the Philippines were affected by both El Niño and economic problems, but Thailand was able to expand its rice output. Production problems in Central Africa were partly the fault of El Niño and partly man-made, as warfare erupted in the region.

Food Emergencies

A number of food emergencies occurred in 1998. The Sudan experienced one of its periodic droughts. Efforts to organize relief supplies were hampered because Sudanese government troops were fighting with rebel forces in the drought-stricken areas and regarded food aid as assistance to the rebels. North Korea experienced famine, as it had in 1997. During the spring of 1998 food supplies there shrank to very low levels, and millions, especially children and the elderly, were at risk. Large quantities of grain were delivered to that country during the spring, and, although the situation eased in the summer, the 1998 harvests were again poor. Drought in Indonesia and falling incomes due to the economic crisis produced a food emergency in that nation, but the international community provided billions of dollars in credits, allowing the purchase of large volumes of wheat and rice. In the fall of 1998 concern over food shortages in Russia emerged. Due to drought in the Volga river area and continued economic chaos, Russian grain production was at its lowest level since the early 1950s. With its political and economic problems Russia did not have the money to purchase food on world markets and was offered food assistance.

Some food emergencies were man-made. Ethnic warfare in Central and East Africa resulted in mass movements of people who did not have adequate food. Fighting in the Serbian province of Kosovo between Yugoslav forces and ethnic Albanians in the fall of 1998 drove the Albanians away from their villages and fields just before winter. An accord between the Yugoslav government and NATO provided humanitarian relief. Iraq continued to suffer food shortages as a result of the trade sanctions imposed by the UN.

The trend of decreasing food aid continued during the year. (See Table II.) In the early 1990s cereal food aid averaged more than 12 million tons. In 1996-97 the total dropped sharply to just over five million tons, and it remained at that level in 1997-98. A decline in cereal food aid was characteristic of most donor nations, but the major donors registered the largest declines. The U.S., the largest donor, had reduced cereal food aid by nearly five million tons, or 70%, since 1992-95. The second largest donor, the EU, had lowered its aid by three million tons, or 77%. These declines reflected changes in world grain markets, as government-owned surplus stocks were reduced by policy shifts as well as by the tight global supplies of the mid-1990s. For example, in accord with a decision taken in 1996, the U.S. government no longer held large grain stocks accumulated under farm price support programs. In the past such stocks were often used for food aid. The trend of reduced cereal food aid was a concern to many food experts. Tighter world food supplies could be expected as production resources were being used to the maximum. There would be little to no growth in supply at a time when income and population growth would be boosting demand.

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